Last month the PGA TOURand LPGA Tour announced that a new mixed-team event, sponsored by Grant Thornton, will feature both women and men professionals competing together in a unique co-sanctioned tournament.
The Grant Thornton Invitational will be held at the end of the year, December 4-10, at Tiburón Golf Club. The tournament will offer equal prize money and visibility for both the LPGA and the PGA Tour. The two tours last combined for a joint event in 1999 with the JC Penney Classic. The Wendy’s 3 Tour Challenge was held 1992-2013 and featured teams from the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and Champions Tour competing against each other.
The Grant Thornton Invitational’s 32-player field will be comprised of 16 PGA TOUR and 16 LPGA Tour professionals competing for a $4 million purse and will be televised by NBC and Golf Channel.
“We could not be more excited to add the Grant Thornton Invitational to our 2023 schedule,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan. “By joining forces with the PGA TOUR to host a mixed event where the top male and female golfers in the world compete alongside each other, we’re going to deliver a memorable and entertaining experience for all golf fans, showcasing our players’ incredible skills in a new context to a new audience. This is an important step forward for golf, women’s golf and the LPGA. We’re incredibly grateful for the leadership of our partners at the PGA TOUR and Grant Thornton, and we look forward to producing a best-in-class event that inspires, elevates and advances opportunities for golfers around the globe.”
Grant Thornton CEO Seth Siegel echoes this sentiment: “At Grant Thornton, we believe golf can bring people together – to be their very best, to eliminate barriers to achievement and to help build inclusive communities. That’s why we are working with the PGA TOUR and the LPGA Tour to create a tournament where the world’s best golfers, both men and women, can compete head-to-head on a level playing field. We know that players and fans alike will enjoy this singular event and what it represents for sports and society.”
“PGA TOUR athletes playing alongside the best athletes from the LPGA Tour is going to be incredible for our fans,” said Tony Finau, PGA TOUR professional golfer. “They’ve been wanting something like this for a long time. Our fans deserve it, and seeing Grant Thornton stepping up to help the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour put together this tournament, I think is very special.”
“The Grant Thornton Invitational really is about being inclusive and showing people that golf can be accessible for everyone, no matter what way you play,” said Nelly Korda, LPGA Tour professional golfer. “This is going to be the perfect opportunity for me to do something important in helping to grow the game and inspire the next generation.”
For more information visit: https://grantthorntoninvitational.com/
New Joint Event For LPGA & PGA Tours
